נָבָא nâbâʼ — to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse)
Translated in the KJV as prophesy, make self a prophet.
a primitive root; to prophesy, i.e. speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse).
nâbâʼ in each stem
Niph'al
Imperative 28Participle (active) 27Perfect (qatal) 11Imperfect (yiqtol) 8Infinitive construct 7Participle (passive) 2Wayyiqtol 2Sequential perfect (weqatal) 2
And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?
And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth–gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king’s hand.
Hitpa'el
Wayyiqtol 11Participle (active) 10Imperfect (yiqtol) 3Perfect (qatal) 2Sequential perfect (weqatal) 1Infinitive construct 1
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
What the stems mean
A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›